In many games, there is a virtual world or some other imagined playing space where a player/user of the game controls one or more player characters (herein “character,” “player character,” or “PC”). Player characters can be considered in-game representations of the controlling player. The game display can display a representation of the player character. A game engine accepts inputs from the player, determines player character actions, decides outcomes of events and presents the player with a game display illuminating what happened. In some games, there are multiple players, wherein each player controls one or more player characters. Some games have no in-game character controlled by the player, but may instead provide for player control of game elements on a gameboard. Examples include word building games, puzzle games, match-three puzzle games, and the like.
Many online computer games are operated on an online social networking system. Such an online social networking system allows both users and other parties to interact with the computer games directly, whether to play the games or to retrieve game- or user-related information. Internet users may maintain one or more accounts with various service providers, including, for example, online game networking systems and online social networking systems. Online systems can typically be accessed using browser clients (e.g., Firefox, Chrome, Internet Explorer). In some embodiments, a game interface for the computer-implemented game can instead or additionally comprise an augmented reality display or a virtual reality display.
In many computer games, there are various types of in-game assets (aka “rewards” or “loot”) that a player character can obtain within the game. For example, a player character may acquire game points, gold coins, experience points, character levels, character attributes, virtual cash, game keys, or other in-game items of value. In many computer games, there are also various types of in-game obstacles that a player must overcome to advance within the game. In-game obstacles can include tasks, puzzles, opponents, levels, gates, actions, etc. In some games, a goal of the game may be to acquire certain in-game assets, which can then be used to complete in-game tasks or to overcome certain in-game obstacles. For example, a player may be able to acquire a virtual key (i.e., the in-game asset) that can then be used to open a virtual door (i.e., the in-game obstacle).
Computer-implemented games thus often have a number of parameters and/or configurations that can be changed by an operator during game design or game tuning to change different aspects of gameplay and in-game economy. Examples of such tunable parameters vary from game to game, but can include, for example in the context of a farming simulation social network game such as Farmville™ provided by Zynga, Inc.: time required to next level-up, coins needed for an expansion, number of materials required for a buildable, number of gifts one can send or receive.
Tuning and optimization of gameplay and economy parameters has a major effect on engagement, retention and monetization of any game. Proper tuning of a game may allow players to enjoy the game more than would be the case for the same game tuned less optimally, thus resulting in greater player retention and associated revenue. Suboptimal tuning of a game may result in increased player dissatisfaction, resulting to increased rates of players quitting the game.
Because the parameter space of tunable parameters is in many cases extremely large, manual adjustment of game parameters by tuning experts can be time consuming, ad hoc, and often provides suboptimal results.